Princess of Hollywood (The Glitterati Files #2) - Maggie Dallen Page 0,19
you sure?” My pent-up rage found its way out in snarky bitterness. “Could have fooled me.”
He froze. There were still people around, but whatever vibe we were giving off… no one came near us. I had a feeling the tension was palpable.
I took a step closer, my jaw tight. “You lied to me, man.” And there it was. Out in the open.
He flinched, but he didn’t look away. He didn’t even try to do the whole, ‘I didn’t lie, I just didn’t tell you’ routine, which was good. If he had, I would have punched him.
Jack took a deep breath. “How’d you find out?”
“I found the suicide note.”
He nodded, the only sign of his distress was the muscle working in his jaw.
“You knew.” Before he could ask how I knew that he knew, I added, “My mom gave it away when I confronted her. She seemed to think that you were the one who told me.”
His head dropped and his shoulders too, almost like… almost like he was relieved. When he looked up, his gaze met mine and held. “I’m sorry.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shook his head, and the torment in his eyes made it impossible to hold onto anger. It was there, but I could feel it weakening.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have, it was just… how do you tell someone something like that?”
I stared at him, waiting for him to explain.
“At first, when I was a kid, your mom told me not to and that was reason enough. I mean, she was your mom…”
I nodded. He didn’t need to say any more as far as she was concerned. She could be terrifying, especially to a kid.
“Yeah, okay,” I said. “So, that explains why you kept your mouth shut back then, but it’s been nearly ten years, man. I’m not a kid anymore, and neither are you.”
“I know, and I’m… I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice low and gruff, the words stilted but genuine. “I’m really sorry. I guess I just didn’t know how, or even…” He let out a loud exhale as he shoved his hands through his hair. “Or even if you’d want to know the truth.”
I opened my mouth to say that of course I would, but I couldn’t quite get the words out. Since I’d found out, I’d been struggling. Up until a month ago, I’d been able to say that while my dad had his faults, at least he loved me.
But now…
Well, I knew he loved me. But not enough. Not enough to be there for me or to shield me from my mom’s insanity. Not enough to face his addictions like a man.
Not enough to stay alive.
So I didn’t say it because maybe ignorance was bliss sometimes. And maybe if I were in Jack’s shoes, I would have kept my mouth shut too.
I looked away with a sigh because I honestly didn’t know what I’d have done in his position.
“I really am sorry,” Jack said.
“I know.” I met his gaze as the silence between us grew too long and too thick. “Is that what you came out here to say?”
“Yeah.”
I felt a knowing smile tugging at my lips because I’d seen the way he’d watched Lila walk away. “Is that the only reason?”
He stiffened and kept his mouth shut. But at least he didn’t try to lie.
“You want to make it up to me, Jack?” I said, an idea already forming.
“Of course.” The hope that lit his eyes was sweet. Unlike Amber or even Lila, Jack wasn’t a natural-born actor. He didn’t wear masks, and that was one of the things I loved most about him.
“Then stick around,” I said.
His brows arched high. “What?”
My mind was filled with Lila as I said it again. She deserved this. She deserved him.
And he needed her, whether he’d admit it or not.
I nodded toward the trailer behind him. “Tell them you’ll do it.”
“What?” His brows were nearly hitting his hairline now. “You want me to act?”
I started to laugh at his obvious horror. “Yeah, it’s not all that hard. And I know your part, dude. You barely have one line an episode. All you have to do is look brooding and hang out with horses.” I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You were made for this role.”
His mouth gaped open, and I kind of wished our friends from Pinedale were here to see the too-cool-for-school Jack flap his lips like a guppy.
“Besides,” I added. “The pay is good, and don’t try to